cloud of white smoke!!

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bonestk87

New member
it has done this twice. both times the truck was cold. 1st time it happened was a 1 mile from the house. felt the truck start pulling down, all the gauges read normal and just happened to look back and a HUGE cloud of white smoke was pouring out from the truck AND it smelt like antifreeze!!!!!!!! it did it for like 5 or 6 seconds and then cleared up and ran fine. the 2nd time it done it was 1 1/2 miles from the house. it did the exact same thing as the first time. both times was going straight down the road, no corners. the only thing that has changed recently is a complete tune up, knock sensor, rerouted intercooler lines, replaced every vacuum line. any help would be appreciated!!!
 
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WyoSyclone

WyoSyclone

Active member
Re: cloud of white smoke!!

White smoke is coolant... turbo seal, intake gasket, head gasket, or intercooler leak... next time it does it, see if you can stop real quick and take the hardpipe between the turbo and intercooler off and see if you can see coolant inside. Check your IC coolant level, but if it's only done it for a very short time probably not enough coolant used to notice.
 
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bonestk87

New member
Re: cloud of white smoke!!

i ran a compression check when i changed the plugs. all cylinders had 150 to 160 psi (thats with all the plugs removed and the throttle blades open). oil is not milky. i figured it was coolant. it's just got me bumfuzzled because the way it has happened. i thought maybe the i/c was leaking and it just puddles up overnite in the i/c BUT you'd figure it would smoke on start up not 5 to 10 minutes after its been running... i will pull the pipe next time it does it and take a peek. thanks
 
WyoSyclone

WyoSyclone

Active member
Re: cloud of white smoke!!

I wonder if the IC has a leak and the coolant only gets into the intake when the IC pump is on?? :dunno:
 
WyoSyclone

WyoSyclone

Active member
Re: cloud of white smoke!!

That's a great thought, Dave. I wonder what could be going on in the tranny to make it 'pull down' like he stated, if this is the case? ....valve body/pressure problem? I'm not a tranny guy - are pressures in the tranny higher when it's cold? I'm sure the fluid is a little thicker when it's cold.


DaveP said:
Are you sure the smoke is coming out of the tail pipe, and not out from under the truck? Is the cooling system 'using' or 'loosing' coolant? If not, probably not coolant.

An over filled trans will puke out the vent onto the exhaust, and the smoke is white. Also check the T-case level. Pull the fill plug. If a lot of fluid comes out, you have a bad seal in the input of the T-case, and trans fluid is migrating into the case and over-filling it. This may come out the vent onto the exhaust too. Smoke will be white.

If there is evidence of fluid leaks under the truck, or specs of oil on the tailgate, find the source. These are most likely the source of the smoke. Especially if the smoke is not coming out of the exhaust pipe.
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bonestk87

New member
Re: cloud of white smoke!!

it smells like antifreeze when it does it.. zero tranny/transfer case leaks!!! fluid levels are fine.
 
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bonestk87

New member
Re: cloud of white smoke!!

DaveP said:
Might have been helpful to have put that in the original post, Eh?

Makes me look like a chump for trying to help by "thinking outside the box" because you knew what the source of the smoke was all along. Pull the Intercooler off, and have a look. Sheese, even a noob shouldn't have trouble figuring this one out.
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i didn't mean to make you look like a "chump" my bad!!!!! to me white smoke = antifreeze. if it was the ic leaking you would think it would smoke on start up NOT 10 min after being started. ic fluid level has not changed. coolant level in rad. has not changed. the tranny diagnosis is a very good idea! there is know sign of any kind of leak under the truck though. i'm guessing it's a turbo seal know that yaw have mentioned it. i guess it is leaking overnite and once the seal heats up it expands enough to let what coolant leaked overnite by? it hasn't done it again..
 
turbodig

turbodig

Active member
Re: cloud of white smoke!!

bonestk87 said:
it has done this twice. both times the truck was cold. 1st time it happened was a 1 mile from the house. felt the truck start pulling down, all the gauges read normal and just happened to look back and a HUGE cloud of white smoke was pouring out from the truck.
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Was Jimmy in the back?
 
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